Tag Archives: trump

#530: End of Trump Regime. Not If but When?

10 Sunday Aug 2025

Posted by in Causes of the Revolution, Lessons of Revolution, SCOTUS, Trump 47, Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , ,

Welcome to a discussion about the 5th Revolution in the US, which I’ve titled the “Revenge Revolution.” For more about the Revenge Revolution and the author, click “About the Author” tab.  Periodically I write a “sense check” about the status of the Revolution. The previous “sense check” was ENTRY #519. Yes, we are currently embroiled in the “Revenge Revolution.”

BEGIN ENTRY #530: Trump has proved the observation from Lord Acton, a British historian and moralist, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”  

Thanks to SCOTUS’ decision, led by brain-dead Chief Justice Roberts, the president is immune from essentially any action taken while in office. SCOTUS has allowed Trump free reign in his effort to become a dictator.  

And you might ask, where is the 3rd branch of government, which according to the US Constitution is responsible for many actions being taken by Trump – minor issues like funding of the government, tariffs, international trade, declarations of war before invading foreign countries? The leadership of the House and Senate are bowing to the wannabe King of Orange and abdicating their sworn oath to uphold the Constitution, let alone their responsibility to protect the democracy.  Apparently Republicans all caught bird flu and turned into spineless chickens.

Alas, in all this insanity, there is hope.  History has shown that virtually all dictatorships end with the death of the dictator and/or a revolution by the people. So why should the end of the Trump regime be any different? It probably won’t.

So now the question becomes not how the Trump regime will end but when?

My initial prediction was the wannabe King of Orange would be assisinated within six months of the  inauguration. We’re not too far past the six months so that initial prediction might still be reasonably accurate, especially given all the people and groups that the regime has dumped on, including many who voted for him.

However, there’s a bigger issue in my view.  The issue is how does the US repair the damage caused by Trump’s destructive, revenge-driven mandates. Pick almost any action by Trump, look at the damage done by his mandates and then think about how much, time, effort and money will be required to repair the damage done.

Ruining something is always easier than rebuilding it or repairing it. Imagine that for just 30 minutes someone took a sledgehammer to the walls, fixture and furniture in your house. How long and how much money do you think it would require restoring your house? That analogy is a reasonable reference when considering the damage done to agencies of the Federal government – EPA, Education, HHS, FEMA, State Dep’t, and many more.

Power-hungry people, and Trump in particular, have an insatiable appetite for more power. No matter how much people bow down and try to appease the wannabe King of Orange, it will not be enough. History is very good at repeating itself because we the people fail to learn from the past. Dictators stop only when dead or overthrown.  END ENTRY #530

Other Topics. Interested in more info about climate change, what’s required to electrify a fleet of cars/trucks, and an array of other topics, visit another page of this website, https://usrevolution5.com/jrd-thought-comments/

#529 House Votes to Impeach Trump, Again.

27 Sunday Jul 2025

Posted by in Causes of the Revolution, Trump 47, Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , ,

Welcome to a discussion about the 5th Revolution in the US, which I’ve titled the “Revenge Revolution.” For more about the Revenge Revolution and the author, click “About the Author” tab.  Periodically I write a “sense check” about the status of the Revolution. The previous “sense check” was ENTRY #519. Yes, we are currently embroiled in the “Revenge Revolution.”

BEGIN #529: On the first day back from the summer 2025 recess, MAGA Republicans forced House Speaker Mike Johnson to hold a vote to begin impeachment proceedings against Trump. MAGA Republicans apparently told speaker Johnson his choices were to begin impeachment proceedings, or be replaced as MAGA Republicans would join Democrats and elect Hakeem Jefferies as Speaker of the House.

The impeachment vote haD a surprising number of Republican supporters. Members indicated that over the summer recess constituents were livid with many actions of the administration, and especially with Trump’s effort to bury the Epstein information.

One prominent Republican noted, “I never have seen constituent so upset. They want to know if Trump is a pedophile. The only way to get that information is through impeachment proceedings.“

When informed of the demand for an impeachment vote, the White House said Obama and Democrats were behind it. Most Republicans scoffed at the White House’s response and reminded the Trump administration to look at the poll numbers and talk to people on the street.

What’s the likelihood of an impeachment? Probably higher than most of us think. The drip, drip, drip of information about Trump’s actions with Epstein and under-age women seem to be even too much for the MAGAts.  More seamy facts are not likely to be revealed by Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s co-conspirator currently serving a 20-year sentence and who apparently has cut a deal with DOJ that would claim Trump had no involvement with under-age women.

The facts are more likely to be revealed by the former SDNY federal attorney who prosecuted Maxwell, and who Trump fired recently, Maureen Comey.  Comey has the facts, having been the lead attorney on the Epstein investigation and then the prosecution of Maxwell.

One has to wonder if anyone in the Trump administration thinks about potential consequences before taking action? Obviously, not. Comey has the facts, and Maxwell was charged with two counts of perjury in 2020 for allegedly lying under oath during a 2016 deposition.

Whether an impeachment comes to fruition, we shall see. What is apparent, however, is an ever-expanding percentage of the population demanding that members of Congress, SCOTUS  justices, academic institutions and media organizations (CBS, ABC) stop abdicating their responsibilities and start standing up to Trump.  END #529

Other Topics. Interested in more info about climate change, what’s required to electrify a fleet of cars/trucks, and an array of other topics, visit another page of this website, https://usrevolution5.com/jrd-thought-comments/

#526: Scientific Study: Trump’s Intelligence Deemed Artificial

30 Friday May 2025

Posted by in Societal Issues, Trump 47, Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , ,

Welcome to a discussion about the 5th Revolution in the US, which I’ve titled the “Revenge Revolution.” For more about the Revenge Revolution and the author, click “About the Author” tab.  Periodically I write a “sense check” about the status of the Revolution. The previous “sense check” was ENTRY #519. Yes, we are currently embroiled in the “Revenge Revolution.”

BEGIN ENTRY #526: Since the inauguration of Trump as POTUS 47 in January 2025, there has been increased interest in measuring the intelligence of US presidents.

During the same period, there has been even more interest, especially among the general public, wanting to learn about AI, artificial intelligence. Much of the interest has centered on: (i) exactly what AI is; (ii) can AI be superior to human intelligence?

Interestingly, during the first Trump administration, a group of scientists began exploring both issues. That study continued through the Biden administration.

In a recent paper, the scientists published their findings. The first president studied was Trump. When asked why Trump was selected, the scientists indicated there was a large database of public information about Trump prior to his initial candidacy and significantly more data available during his term as POTUS 45.

The title of this particular study was “The Identification of Intelligence of Trump.”  As is the norm inside the Beltway when referring to offices, agencies, and other activities, the study was assigned an acronym.  Much like POTUS, for president of the United States, or SCOTUS, for Supreme Court of the United States, the study ”Identifying the Intelligence of Trump” was assigned the acronym “IDIOT.”

The authors concluded that any intelligence Trump currently possesses is artificial. Since no medical records for Trump have been released, the scientists where uncertain exactly how Trump’s artificial intelligence was being received and processed.

When preliminary copies of the report were circulated among cabinet members, HHS secretary, RFK Jr, immediately claimed that there must have been a computer chip secretly inserted in the COVID vaccine that Trump received. Kristi Nome, Homeland Security secretary, claimed an illegal immigrant working surreptitiously in the White House kitchen must have planted a computer chip in the president’s frequently served double-bacon cheeseburgers.

Pam Bondi, Attorney General joined with Marco Rubio, secretary of state, to emphasize they intended to interrogate every person in the United States who did not vote for Trump for leads on how Trump is receiving his artificial intelligence.

Meanwhile, when briefed on the report, Trump held a press conference exclaiming delight that he was the first president studied for intelligence and therefore, he must be the smartest.  He also proclaimed that he would sign an Executive Order mandating that he alone, among all the presidents, could claim the title of IDIOT.  

Scientists involved with the study and others in the AI field were dismayed at the setback for AI. Most everyone involved thought the sophistication of AI had progressed far beyond what intelligence has been demonstrated by Trump. END ENTRY #526

Other Topics. Interested in more info about climate change, what’s required to electrify a fleet of cars/trucks, and an array of other topics, visit another page of this website, https://usrevolution5.com/jrd-thought-comments/

524. Trump Administration Needs Intelligence, Even AI

27 Sunday Apr 2025

Posted by in Back Asswards Thinking, Stupid Is as Stupid Does, Trump 47, Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , ,

Welcome to a discussion about the 5th Revolution in the US, which I’ve titled the “Revenge Revolution.” For more about the Revenge Revolution and the author, click “About the Author” tab.  Periodically I write a “sense check” about the status of the Revolution. The previous “sense check” was ENTRY #519. Yes, we are currently embroiled in the “Revenge Revolution.”

BEGIN ENTRY #524: The last paragraph of Entry #523 stated, “…if the “organization in charge” – company, political party, group, etc. – views the world with a binary, zero-sum mentality, then all decisions are based on someone, or some group always having to win and someone having to lose.  Such an attitude inevitably leads to a revolution.”

With each passing week, the US public and people worldwide are realizing the Trump administration views all decisions through a zero-sum-game lens. Through this lens, there can be no shared wealth; no tide can lift all boats.  For each “winner,” there must be a “loser(s).”

What is also clear with the Trump administration is the lack of intelligence among cabinet members and deputies. The cabinet and staff are true representatives of the “gang that couldn’t shoot straight.“

From major blunders developing and implementing policy to typos in court filings (try using spellcheck) to terminating key people who transport nuclear weapons to deporting a two-year-old US citizen without any hearing.  Apparently, the Trump administration heard this 2-year-old was a real terror and thought that meant terrorist.

Maybe the easiest example for grasping the incompetence of the administration is how the tariffs were determined.  The tariff percentages for certain countries were grossly miscalculated. Tariffs were also levied on an island inhabited only by penguins. Those pesky penguins are really aggressive when it comes to trade.

Many of these “stupid-is-as-stupid-does“ mistakes could have been avoided simply by using such AI programs as ChatGPT or Copilot.

As a test of the value of AI, I asked Copilot the following question, “If you were thinking of implementing tariffs on goods imported from various countries around the world, what questions and analysis would you conduct, please?” The response took all of 3-4 seconds. The list of questions to consider and the suggested analytical steps are, based on my experience, an excellent start. (Link to response from Copilot.)

The AI response also asked if there were a particular industry or a particular country in mind for the tariffs. If so, responses to additional queries could be provided in more detail.

Apparently, Peter Navarro, Trump’s trade advisor, and convicted felon, never bothered to query AI for guidance and apparently did not complete much, if any, of the basic analysis suggested by AI before publishing the tariffs by country. When you think you’re so smart, what value is AI?

How has the American public been reacting to these seat-of-the-pants calculated tariffs? A range of opinion polls over the last few weeks indicates that the public is becoming more upset with the administration.  In every major poll asking about tariffs, the “unfavorable” rating exceeded the “favorable” rating, sometimes by more than 10 points.  Over time the gap between unfavorable and favorable re tariffs has continued to grow.  (The “unfavorable” gap on many other Trump administration actions is far greater than for tariffs.)

Since Trump, Musk and the DOGE dunces have terminated so many government employees with deep subject-matter knowledge – real analysis for many policy decisions is not intuitive – you’d think the Trump administration geniuses would be at least smart enough to start using AI for some basic guidance.

Well, no such luck. Apparently the Trump group is either too arrogant and/or too stupid to even consider using artificial intelligence for some guidance. More entries about AI coming. END ENTRY #524

Other Topics. Interested in more info about climate change, what’s required to electrify a fleet of cars/trucks, and an array of other topics, visit another page of this website, https://usrevolution5.com/jrd-thought-comments/

#522: Dumb and Dumber: Sledgehammer Efficiency and Tariffs

04 Friday Apr 2025

Posted by in Back Asswards Thinking, Economics, Societal Issues, Stupid Is as Stupid Does, Trump 47, Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , ,

Welcome to a discussion about the 5th Revolution in the US, which I’ve titled the “Revenge Revolution.” For more about the Revenge Revolution and the author, click “About the Author” tab.  Periodically I write a “sense check” about the status of the Revolution. The previous “sense check” was ENTRY #519. Yes, we are currently embroiled in the “Revenge Revolution.”

BEGIN ENTRY #522: Scene: you’ve decided that parts of your house need updating. The HVAC system seems a bit inefficient and probably should be updated. The roof might need a few repairs to prevent future leaks.

You are not sure what else might need to be improved. So, to help you call in someone who claims to be an expert in revamping systems that are supposedly outdated or could use some preventive maintenance. You and the self-proclaimed expert agree on a start date, and the expert arrives at the scheduled time.

The expert is accompanied by a team of people you have never met. Most are young and don’t look to have the credentials of someone in the skilled trades needed for the proposed scope of work.  You watch inquisitively as the work team unloads from the truck a set of tools of destruction – sledgehammers, chainsaw-like devices, crowbars, etc. – but no tools that you expected to be used for repairing and preventive maintenance. 

The expert tells the team to “Have at it,“ and you watch in horror as the team immediately begins destroying structural components of your house. As the expert gets ready to leave, you ask, “What’s going on here?“

Expert replies, “We’re going to make your house better.“ You reply, “But where are the plans? How do I know what you’re going to do? It looks as if you’re trying to tear the house down, not make improvements.“

“Don’t be concerned,” the alleged expert says, “we’ll rebuild everything later. But first we must tear up and tear out everything we don’t like. Step aside while the team makes your house more efficient with our sledgehammers and chainsaws.”

And so goes the approach Trump and the Muskovites are taking to “increase the efficiency” of your Federal government. The mantra of the Trump/Muskovites group has been, “Don’t plan, just break, then blame someone else and walk away.”

For those unfamiliar with Trump’s career, he has taken this same approach to virtually every major real estate project. The Trump Tower on 5th Avenue, for example, replaced one of the most beautiful buildings in midtown Manhattan. Do you think he tried to save any of the building and incorporate into Trump Tower? Of course not. Trump’s approach — demolish the building and then send the beautiful stonework to the dump. Fortunately, some of the stonework was saved thanks to a scrap dealer, but with no support from Trump.

As far as efficiency, virtually everyone agrees that most organizations, public and private, have some areas where efficiency could be improved. However, anyone with an ounce of brains knows that breaking or destroying something is relatively easy — give me a sledgehammer and chainsaw.  What takes longer and some serious thought is how to make an organization more efficient while maintaining its integrity, and keeping it running relatively smoothy during the transition. 

What Trump and Musk are doing to the Federal government might seem exciting to some MAGAts. But their approach to increasing efficiency is back asswards. Breaking something takes no brains. Further, breaking often has serious consequences that are hard to reverse. When a Federal agency is eviscerated, the result can increase the risk to national security.

“Oops, you mean, we just fired all the key people who guard the US’ nuclear weapons? And oops, you mean, we also deleted all their contact information? And, oops, since they all had top-secret clearances, the contact information isn’t in other databases?” (Yes, it is true.) How did Trump and Musk respond to such an egregious and inexcusable error? Ho hum. “DOD and the public, you need to get over it.  Everyone makes a minor mistake now and then.”

Whether or not you’re a Trump supporter, Trump and Musk have demonstrated they are incapable of managing the most basic tasks in government. Yes, managing an operation in the Federal government is far more complicated than operating a small family-owned real estate business or being a TV personality.

Managing an operation in the Federal in government is not like being some tech guru who thinks software solves all problems. 

If you still are happy with what Trump and Musk are doing, wait until your life is seriously disrupted by a non-functioning Federal agency that was effectively destroyed by the Trump regime. In the meantime, you’ll soon be reminded each day of the consequences of another “dumb-and-dumber” strategy – stiff virtually across-the-board tariffs for our best trading partners. Other than a select few examples, tariffs do not work, generate inflation and can lead to a severe recession and even Depression.

More on tariffs soon. In the meantime, take a look at the consequences of the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930. END ENTRY #522

Other Topics. Interested in more info about climate change, what’s required to electrify a fleet of cars/trucks, and an array of other topics, visit another page of this website, https://usrevolution5.com/jrd-thought-comments/

#520 — Trump Voters, Some Questions to Consider

08 Saturday Mar 2025

Posted by in Sense Check, Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , ,

Welcome to a discussion about the 5th Revolution in the US, which I’ve titled the “Revenge Revolution.” For more about the Revenge Revolution and the author, click “About the Author” tab. 

Periodically I write a “sense check” about the status of the Revolution. The previous “sense check” was ENTRY #519. Yes, we are currently embroiled in the “Revenge Revolution.”

BEGIN ENTRY #520: One is taught that when attempting to build a relationship, one should not insult the other party. Such advice has proved valuable over many years.

Part of a good relationship, also should include the willingness to accept from the other party hard questions that are fair, and not too personal. In return, one should answer such questions. 

So, here’s my fair question: For those who voted for Trump in 2024, “Do you believe the Trump  administration is approaching governing in a positive way for the US?”

Admittedly that is a rather broad question.  Maybe having a few more specific questions might help you to reach a conclusion.  Examples of more specific questions include:

  1. Do you believe Trump‘s actions as president strengthen or weaken the US democracy?
  2. Do you believe the Trump administration’s approach to assessing the performance of and budgets at various Federal agencies has been objective?
  3. Do you believe actions taken by the administration toward personnel employment have been legal?
  4. Do you believe actions taken by the administration have been for the benefit of the general public or have actions benefited a small group of generally wealthy individual individuals close to Trump?
  5. Do you believe actions taken by the administration have been based on facts and objective analysis or actions have been arbitrary with little, if any, fact-based analysis? 
  6. Do you believe that as president Trump should be immune from prosecution no matter how egregious or illegal the action?
  7. Do you believe the United States is more respected or less respected worldwide following actions by Trump administration?
  8. Do you believe that such programs as Social Security and Medicare are “entitlements” and therefore, should be cut or eliminated even though the programs are funded by withholding separate from income taxes?
  9. Do you regularly use multiple sources for gathering information or do you primarily rely on a single source?

You get the idea. Let’s go back to the original question worded separated into easier to answer questions:

  • “If you voted for Trump in 2024, do you have any voter’s remorse?”
  • “If you voted for Trump in 2024, would you vote for him again knowing what you know now?”
  • If the same actions as taken by Trump were taken by a Democratic president, say Kamala Harris, would your attitude be the same?

Give this some serious thought if you haven’t already.

Other Topics. Interested in more info about climate change, what’s required to electrify a fleet of cars/trucks, and an array of other topics, visit another page of this website, https://usrevolution5.com/jrd-thought-comments/

511: Whoa, How to Fix the Clown Show. (Repairing Democracy #6)

01 Monday Jul 2024

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , ,

Welcome to a discussion about the upcoming 5th Revolution in the US, which I’ve titled the “Revenge Revolution.” For more about the Revenge Revolution and the author, click “About the Author” tab.  Periodically I write a “sense check” to assess whether a revolution in the US is possible or whether the entire exercise is based on a statistical aberration — i.e., a roughly 50-year cycle between major upheavals in the US. The previous “sense check” was ENTRY #500.

BEGIN ENTRY #511: The last five (5) entries outlined ideas for starting to rebuild the US democracy.  Unfortunately, most ideas worth considering are longer term and will have no effect on the 2024 election. 

Over the past couple of weeks, I have struggled to find other practical ideas. What keeps tainting my thinking can only be described as the appallingly lack of understanding by much of the American public about basic laws and/or blatant disrespect for those laws, including those who should know better.

One frustrating aspect of this behavior is an unwavering unwillingness to learn. The attitude can be summarized by those who proclaim, “I don’t need no stinking laws. I’ll do what I want!”

No, son, that’s not how democracy works. Laws are the foundation of a democracy.

When people state we need to get rid of government, I ask several simple questions. “Do you think you own your car or your house?“ The response is usually “Damn right I do. And I paid for them, unlike some liberal slackers.“

My follow up question, “And who do you think allows you to own your car and house?“ A typical response, “I’ve got the title. The house and truck are mine. What more proof do you want, buddy?”

“And who grants the title?” I ask. The question is usually followed by the deer-in-the-headlights look.  After a few more questions, the person grudgingly acknowledges that the government guarantees the right of ownership.

What makes lack of knowledge of civics dangerous is someone like Trump. For all his long list of faults, one must say he excels at spouting BS that appeals to a shockingly high percentage of the voting public.

If Trump has been a student of anything, the subject matter has been self-promotion and cheating. What’s the issue with self-promotion? Entertainers do it all the time. So do politicians. Real estate people are the worst!

The initial mistake with Trump was his election in 2016. While he will never admit it publicly, dollars to donuts Trump entered the 2016 presidential race never expecting to win. He entered the race to promote the Trump brand.  By building name recognition and being perceived as a national figure, rather than a clown on a reality tv show, he could charge more for his hotels, golf courses and memberships at Mar-a-Lago.

Yet he won in 2016.  And he won for two reasons: (i) the quirky way presidents are elected in this country – the Electoral College, rather than the popular vote, which he lost; (ii) a gift immediately before the election from then FBI Director, James Comey. 

Comey violated DOJ policy by publicly implicating Hillary Clinton with no evidence of any crime.  The implication convinced enough non-affiliated voters that Trump was credible, even after Trump’s incredibly gross remarks in the “Access Hollywood” tape that had been made public a few weeks previously.

Anyone who conducted the most rudimentary research would have discovered Trump’s long history of deceit, corruption and childish behavior.  Unfortunately, basic curiosity and history are not subjects for his supporters.

Fast-forward to 2024.  Trump is now a convicted felon – 34 counts of fraud, conviction for slander and assault with a $500 million judgment. And, oh yes, the admitted adulterer continues to the darling of the religious right.  Don’t bother me with the content of the Ten Commandments, Trump is exempt…but not you liberals!  I guess the Fundamentalists love the sinner and overlook all his real faults.

What’s worse is Trump has his MAGAts so brainwashed they are willing to discard the US Constitution and other fundamental laws.  Trump and the MAGAts are already claiming that if Trump is not elected, MAGAts will claim fraud and again storm the Capitol.  Given the MAGAts on SCOTUS, and their recent rulings restricting DOJ and effectively giving Trump near immunity from prosecution, the insurrectionists will face few consequences.

The solution? When I originally drafted this entry a few days ago, I thought a good step would be to force every candidate for public office, certainly at the national level, to take a test about US laws as a requirement before the filing was certified. The test would be the same as that required for US citizenship.

The requirement for passing a test about the US Constitution would at least expose candidates to the rules of law. I realize the idea is not great. But I was so frustrated, I wasn’t sure what else to recommend.

The need for credible candidates was reinforced in spades during the first presidential debate, which I admit, I did not watch.  It was going to be a “sh*t show” no matter what.  And it turned out worse. 

Biden was awful and no matter how much the Biden family and staff try to claim the performance was an aberration, the public’s not going to buy it and every single MAGAt will discuss the performance until the election. 

The performance was not a surprise. In an entry made last fall, I suggested, and I was not alone, that Joe Biden step down before the primaries. I even wrote a letter to the former president Obama, through the Obama Library, suggesting General Mark Millie replace Biden as the candidate.

We’re still a bit early for a replacement but the announcement needs to come soon.  Having someone like General Milley would allow rational Republics, rational Democrats and Independents, already more rational, to get behind a candidate who can unite the country.  Without a Millie-like candidate we’ll have Biden stumbling and claiming he’s up for the job and, Trump continuing to spout lies and the usual unsubstantiated crap and being unable to demonstrate any cognitive skills.

The country can do better than the two clowns.  Without a new candidate, it doesn’t matter which side as long as the person is more in the middle, the chances of an armed rebellion just shot up again. END ENTRY #511

Other Topics. Interested in more info about climate change, what’s required to electrify a fleet of cars/trucks, and an array of other topics, visit another page of this website, https://usrevolution5.com/jrd-thought-comments/

#506: The Road to Repairing Democracy, Part I

21 Sunday Apr 2024

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , ,

Welcome to a discussion about the upcoming 5th Revolution in the US, which I’ve titled the “Revenge Revolution.” For more about the Revenge Revolution and the author, click “About the Author” tab.  Periodically I write a “sense check” to assess whether a revolution in the US is possible or whether the entire exercise is based on a statistical aberration — i.e., a roughly 50-year cycle between major upheavals in the US. The previous “sense check” was ENTRY #500.

BEGIN #506: Over  the past month or so, I have been ambivalent about writing entries for the blog. What else is there to say?  US Revolution V, aka the Revenge Revolution, seems to be playing out in front of us.

The most obvious story is the Manhattan DA’s criminal charges against Trump. What would normally be a straightforward procedure in the criminal justice system has been turned into a 3-ring circus.

The circus was not created by the prosecutors or the judge, all of whom have behaved professionally and as one would expect.  The 3-ring circus was created by the defendant – the 2-year-old disguised as a 77-year-old with orange hair.

While Trump‘s behavior is no surprise – he’s acted like a petulant 2-year-old since he was well, 2-years old. The surprise continues to be why his followers willingly support every act of his aimed at destroying the foundations of our democracy.

What motivates people to support someone who wants to take away an individual’s rights, someone who wants to be accountable to no one, and someone who wants to be in office for life?  The rationale is beyond me, even with a gift of gold tennis shoes and autographed bible, I cannot imagine why anyone would support such a politician. Show me one other country anywhere in the world where the populous buys in to such BS.

 The quote attributed to Lincoln is spot on, “You can fool some of the people all the time, and fool all the people some of the time,  but you can’t fool all the people all the time.“

Unfortunately, the biggest issue facing the US is not Trump but what will it take and how long will it take to repair the damage done by followers of Orangeman.  Think about this for a perspective on time to make change – some states are still fighting the Civil War 150+ years after it ended. And the effort to revert to the Civil War era seems to be increasing.

Arizona, for example, wants to reinstate an abortion ban that became effective in 1864 when Arizona was a territory.  The ban was implemented almost 50 years before it became a state. The Board of Regents of the North Carolina University system wants to eliminate all personnel positions and any program associated with making the student population more diverse, admission more equitable, and programs more inclusionary. Read that effort as the Regents want only white faculty and students at the premier universities, except, of course, black students who can play football and basketball. Other blacks should attend state HCBU’s. Numerous other examples of states taking away rights are available.

This coming week should be telling about how steep the challenge and the time required to begin repairing the country.  Key issues include the Trump trial in Manhattan, another civil procedure beginning against Trump,  SCOTUS hearing oral arguments about Trump‘s immunity from prosecution. Why SCOTUS is even entertaining such a discussion is beyond what I would consider reasonable.

Another high-profile issue will be likely efforts by right-wing Republicans to oust Speaker of the House Johnson. Why?  Because Johnson had the temerity to work with Democrats to pass legislation to protect US security and even worse, pass legislation to provide arms to Ukraine.

What’s wrong with helping Ukraine fight Russia, which is trying to occupy Ukraine? Simply that Trump is still upset with Zelenskyy who wouldn’t bend to Trump’s wishes as part of Trump’s payback to Putin for helping with the 2016 election.  No matter how illogical Trump’s behavior and no matter how the behavior endangers national security, if Trump doesn’t like it, Republicans don’t like it.

No new news that the US Congress has clearly become dysfunctional. Thanks in part to Trump, but only in part. Republicans have been willing enablers.  Broken organizations take a long time to repair, especially when the executives of the organization – the Executive and Legislative branches — are elected.

Enough depressing news for this entry. There is hope that we can begin to repair our dysfunctional democracy. But likely more chaos first. Let’s see what happens this week. END #506

Other Topics. Interested in more info about climate change, what’s required to electrify a fleet of cars/trucks, and an array of other topics, visit another page of this website, https://usrevolution5.com/jrd-thought-comments/